Yoga in Morocco

How did she get to Morocco now? I thought she wanted to stay in Europe first? That's exactly what I'm wondering right now. After the past few weeks of constantly changing places to sleep, I felt like I needed to stay in one place for a while, do something for my body and soul, and also do some research for the rest of my journey. I came across the description of this relaxed surf & yoga house at home, which immediately appealed to me and has been on my mind ever since. Now I'm sitting here among all the surfers (none of them are here just for yoga) and doing an hour of yoga in the morning at sunrise and in the late afternoon on the rooftop terrace with its fantastic view.

The house is simply comfortable. It extends over 5 floors. My bed is in the lower one and is right by the sea, the sound was a bit unusual to fall asleep to at first, but now it's simply relaxing. The large terrace always has the whirlpool ready for a relaxing bath. There are cozy lounging areas and cushions everywhere, whether in the shade or in the sun. The people - mostly Dutch and German-speaking guests - are all very nice and always up for a chat. The only thing missing now is a delicious cocktail. Well, welcome to Muslim Morocco. In the entire Taghazout, the tourist resort about an hour north of Agadir, there are only two houses that have a license to sell alcohol. I live in one of them. However, this fact has a strong influence on the prices. At €3.50 for 0.25l of beer, the thirst for this hop drink quickly disappears. Okay, now I can do without it, a break for the body is also not wrong. Instead, I joyfully grab one of the many juices made from oranges, melons, bananas, avocado, pomegranate, and whatever else there is.

The small town (actually only the Beach district) is manageable but still quite nice. The main street is only asphalted up to the large hotels, the other half is ankle-deep in sand and very dusty. Of course, my hotel is right there. Cleaning shoes or taking a shower before leaving the house towards the street is actually unnecessary.

The street runs parallel to the coast, lined with houses on the right and left. You only discover the 'promenade' when you walk directly along the sea and climb over the rocks. But there you will find super cute, colorful cafes and restaurants with a sea view.

The locals are surprisingly polite. I would have expected the men to be either more pushy or more judgmental towards the lightly dressed female tourists due to the veiled women and the regular singing of the muezzin. Far from it, the woman walking alone is greeted nicely or a casual, unobtrusive conversation is started, which is quickly dropped if there is no interest from both sides. Except in tourist facilities, I have not seen any women in business roles. Even in the laundry, a man takes the washing order. Some women are veiled, others are not. At the beach, you can find everything from burkinis to bikinis. Women drive cars, everyone has a cell phone. A guide told us that Morocco is very liberal and accepts everyone as they are, regardless of their belief or sexuality. Based on my tiny impression, I would like to confirm that. However, other travelers and Wikipedia report that even today gay men are punished and Morocco ranks unfortunately 133rd out of 142 countries in terms of women's rights.

In addition to my daily sports program, research work on my computer, and wandering through the town, I also spent my time with a visit to the hammam, including a 1-hour full-body massage, and two day trips to Paradise Valley, a beautiful oasis in a canyon with refreshing swimming options, and to colorful Marrakech with its huge market.

As a crowning conclusion, I saw dolphins from the rooftop terrace during the last morning yoga session. :-)